A Pink Bow and A Blue Hat
by toriblake95
Summary: Ever wonder about Helga and Arnold's first day together in preschool? Ever figure out what happens when they return? (Rating went up due to such great reviews! Had to add More!)
1. It All Started Here

Helga had just rolled out of bed. Downstairs she could hear the grand piano playing loudly. She glanced over to her clock, which read 7:00 AM.

"Why didn't mommy and daddy wake me up? Its my first day of pre-school." Helga was happy- excited even. Today was her first day of pre-school and she was so happy to be somewhere besides her house.

She looked in her closet, where her outfit had been placed out the night before. She was so excited that she had set her own outfit out the night before, since she wanted to make a good first impression. She got dressed and went to the bathroom. She brushed her pigtails and straightened her bow as best as she could.

"Im going to Pre-School!" She smiled in the mirror. She thought she looked nice enough to make a good first impression on her new classmates, and that was what she wanted. Even though her sister Olga was pretty and smart and talented, Helga knew today she was going to make a lot of friends. She brushed her teeth then headed downstairs to grab her lunch box.

"_I'll take you to school tomorrow, since it's your first day."_ Bob had told her last night, before they closed her bedroom door and told her go to bed.

Helga looked around, but only heard the grand Piano in the trophy room.

"That was wonderful, Olga!" Miriam praised her oldest Daughter, as Helga walked into the room.

"Makes me proud to be a Pataki!" Bob smiled.

Helga smiled, her family was happy. "Daddy, who's taking me to pre-school?" she tugged on his pants.

"In a minute Olga…" Bob tried nudging his youngest away "Play us another one!"

Helga couldn't believe her ears "Its Helga dad! Helga!" She pleaded her father with sad eyes "Whatever, go play outside would ya?" he simply responded, as though she hadn't said anything and turned back to Olga.

Helga stood there hurt, offended and angry. After a few more attempts she gave up and decided to walk out the door, hoping they would follow and walk with her.

"Im going to pre-school now!" she shouted, only to have it muffled by the sound of her sister on the piano. She slowly closed the front door.

She was halfway down the street when she realized they weren't following. She decided to keep walking in the rain. Even though her parents didn't take her, she would still have a great first day at pre-school she reminded herself.

She passed some men who looked down at her and kept walking, passing a hobo in the alley, and managed to get to a crosswalk.

_I'm almost there… just one more block._

She was about to look up when she was suddenly splashed by a passing car, that drenched her in mud.

_Maybe when I get there, my teacher can help get this off…_

The light changed and she kept walking down the street.

A stray dog came out of nowhere and bit into her lunch box. After a small struggle, she realized she couldn't win and fell backwards, only to have the dog kick its back paws at her, as though she were trash.

She got up and kept walking, but now she just wanted to cry. _I wish it would at least stop raining_

Suddenly, the rain stopped. She looked up from the ground. She hadn't noticed the big green car pull up, but now she was under the umbrella of someone just as tall as her…

"Hi. I like your bow" he smiled

"Huh?" _I've never been complimented before... he is nice._

"I said I like your bow, cause its pink like your pants." She hadn't realized she was walking with him, until they reached the door and he walked inside. _He is nice *sigh*_

She realized she was now staring, and decided to walk inside.

"Oh My!" a thin, younger looking woman shouted picking up Helga. "You're drenched in mud! Come on sweetheart, let's get you cleaned up." The younger woman held Helga, carrying her to the restroom to clean up her muddy pink jumper. Once it was dry, Helga was allowed to go out and meet the other students.

Everyone was at a big table. She walked up quietly. The nice boy who had helped her earlier jumped out of his seat and got a chair for her.

"Here" he smiled sweetly.

"Thanks" she smiled, sitting next to him.

They exchanged smiles before looking in front of themselves on their desk where coloring paper and Crayons were set up.

"Okay class, I want each of you to write 3 things about yourself. Afterwards, we'll stand up and you can each read off 3 things about you one at a time." She smiled. Helga liked this lady. Once everyone was done, the teacher decided she would read hers off. Afterwards, the darker skinned boy beside the nice boy would go first, then the nice boy, then Helga, then the small black haired girl next to Helga. She looked around, thinking that her class would be awesome.

"My name is Amanda. I'm 23. I like cookies. I think you're all wonderful." She smiled and nodded at the darker skinned boy "Okay, tell us your name honey." She smiled at the boy who looked terrified.

"H-Hi… I'm Gerald Johansson. I'm 3. My favoritest number is 33. I like playing sports." He sat down happy his turn was over.

"Okay honey, Next" she smiled at the nice boy who stood up blushing, looking down and playing with his thumbs shyly "Hi. I'm Arnold Shortman. I'm 3. My mommy and daddy are adventurers and I wanna be just like them, and I like planes and sports."

He sat down and was now looking at Helga, along with their teacher. "H-Hi. I'm Helga Pataki. I'm 3. I like the color pink, I like sports and I like writing." She sat down, hoping they liked her already.

"Hi, I'm Phoebe. I'm 3, I like playing with my parents, the color blue and I hope to make a lot of friends." She smiled, sitting down, only to have her chair taken from her by a chubbier boy with a blue hat.

"HAHA!" he laughed in her face, causing her to start crying. Helga didn't think that was fair or nice, but she knelt down and extended her hand to the girl, while the teacher apprehended Harold for Time Out.

"Hi Phoebe. I'm sorry he did that. It wasn't nice." Helga said, hopefully the girl would take her hand. Maybe they could even be friends.

"thank you, Helga." Phoebe said wiping her tears away and hugging Helga. They sat back down in their seats and after the assignment was over , the teacher told them they could have some free time to chat and get to know each other. Helga and Phoebe were beyond excited! They had both made a friend and it wasn't even snack time!

"Hey Helga, wanna play with each others hair? Yours is really pretty." Phoebe said timidly.

"Sure." Helga agreed smiling. She was just happy to have a friend.

"Please! Nobody's hair is prettier than mine!" a girl named Rhonda appeared, flaunting about how her parents always told her how special and perfect she is.

"Okay Rhonda" Helga was annoyed. All she wanted to do was play with her new friend. Helga and Phoebe walked to the other side of the room to play with each others hair. After a few minutes, Helga noticed Phoebe with a small blush on her face.

"hey Pheobe, why are you smiling like that?" Helga questioned honestly

"No reason" Phoebe blushed, but couldn't look away fast enough. Helga noticed Arnold and Gerald playing on the Carpet City Rug just a few feet away from them.

Now Helga was nervous. _She doesn't like him too, right…?_

"Oh… which one are you looking at?" Helga was afraid Phoebe liked Arnold too.

"Promise not to tell?" Phoebe held out her pinky. Helga hesitated for a second before deciding to take it.

"Promise." She nodded, taking a deep breath, preparing herself for the worst.

Phoebe leaned beside Helga and decided to whisper in her ear "I think Gerald is kinda cute… but please don't tell anyone, you promised." Phoebe looked at Helga with a hopeful glance.

"Your secret is safe with me." Helga smiled, and Phoebe returned it. "Do you like anyone, Helga?"

"Well-"

"Alrighty class! It's snack time!" the teacher announced, cutting her off. The girls nodded at each other. _Maybe we'll talk about it later._

The kids ran to the snack tables, and Helga and Phoebe sat at the table that was next to Gerald and Arnold, and decided to face them. After a while students started to finish up snack time, including Phoebe, and were excused from the table to play. Helga was still eating, deciding to admire Arnold from afar until she could work up the nerve to talk to him again.

She fixed her bow before she looked over and noticed they boys making a handshake with their fists and thumbs. While Helga was watching the boys, she didn't realize the bully from earlier had taken her crackers, until she went to eat them and noticed they were gone, and now in the hands of a laughing Harold, who was shoving them in his mouth and laughing at her.

For the second time today Helga was on the brink of tears. Suddenly, she noticed a hand holding something out to her and when she looked up, it was none other than Arnold "Want mine?" he was smiling at her, and all she could do was nod. He handed her his gram crackers and walked back to his seat. Helga could only smile at how sweet he was, and to her! She sighed sweetly, admiring him more than ever.

Out of nowhere she heard laughing, and looked over again to the Bully and noticed him and every other kid laughing at her. She looked over to Arnold and Gerald, who didn't understand what was happening, then looked down at the floor. All she could hear was laughing.

Something inside her snapped. She was hurt, then sad, then angry.

Suddenly she felt her arms reach over and push Harold out of his seat, and it felt good. "Quit Laughing GeekBait!" The laughing seized so she stood up on the bench and held up her fists "Or You'll Have to Answer to Old Betsy… and the… and the 5 Avengers!" she now stated a bit more confidently.

"The old who? And the 5 what?" Harold was lost.

"My Fists stupid! That's their names!" Helga stated loudly, hoping her classmates would hear her.

"What? Wait What? Your fists have names?!" Harold put his hands on his head "AH! You're confusing me!"

Helga was annoyed with how slow Harold was so she jumped on his stomach to hurt him. Then walked away announcing "Im the boss around here! Got It?" Helga marched right through Phoebe's block tower. Phoebe was too confused and scared to notice. The other kids nodded in fear.

Helga walked over to the big table they were at earlier, and decided to make use of the arts and crafts supplies. The teacher had taken their photos at Orientation and left a huge stack of each kid, letting their classmates make cute pictures with their new friends. Helga grabbed a light pink sheet of coloring paper and traced a shape she had seen in her sisters room a few weeks before.

"_What's That?" Helga asked Olga, pointing to a note on Olga's vanity. "Oh. This?" Olga held the object up and Helga studied it quickly. "Well baby sister, a boy at school gave this to me! Its called a love note. Daddy doesn't like boys giving me such things, but I think I really like this boy." she smiled now holding the object against her chest lovingly._

"_What's a love?" Helga was confused. _

"_Love is a feeling you get when you really like someone a lot." Olga tapped her index finger on her little sisters nose. _

"_Okay." Helga pointed to the object Olga was now putting down as she stood up to leave her room "What's that shape? I've never seen it before." Helga walked beside her older sister. She wanted to know more about what her sister was telling her, but knew her sister was a busy girl, but she could hope for an answer._

"_Well, baby sister, it's a heart." Olga smiled, as the girls walked downstairs to Olga's piano recital._

Helga made a couple of hearts until she made one that was just perfect. Since nobody was around, she quickly snagged a photo of Arnold and taped it to her heart. She quietly slipped the note into a hidden pocket inside her jumper. She grabbed the hearts and threw them away. If she were going to be made fun of for liking Arnold, then she just wouldn't tell people.

She decided now was a good time to show these kids she couldn't be messed with.

"That's Right! I'm Walking Here! Helga G. Pataki!" she marched smashing Eugene's play dough mold, knocking paint onto Sheena, and shoving Harold a bit.

"What's the G stand for?" Harold asked

"None of your beeswax!" she shouted in his face. Dipping her finger into his paint she threated "Now get busy with your finger painting before I make you wear it!" she placed her finger on his nose, leaving a small purple dot. She abruptly walked away from him as he cowered before her.

"Okay" he said as she left. "Madame Fortress Mommy…" he grumbled angrily before turning back to his paint.

Helga glared at a boy named Sid, who smiled before running away quickly. Helga had just finished with her rounds when she saw Arnold painting. She froze, admiring him before running to hide behind a trashcan. Quietly she whispered to herself "I love you, Arnold, and I wanna marry you!" Suddenly she realized there was heavy breathing behind her, which belonged to Brainy. She was annoyed and didn't want anyone to hear her love for Arnold, so she did the only thing she could. She decked him in the face, sending him to the bottom of the trashcan.

Helga walked over to where Arnold was painting.

"Hi Helga." He smiled sweetly at her and all of her anger vanished, so she smiled back "Hi Arnold."

"Wanna paint with me?" he offered her a can of finger paint.

"Sure" she took the other can of paint and began painting with him.

"Oh how cute!" the teacher smiled down at the two blondes, and snapped a quick picture while they weren't looking.

"What was that about?" Helga asked Arnold. "I dunno?" he shrugged it off, going back to finger painting.

"So why did you push Harold?" Arnold asked shyly. He didn't know why everyone was laughing, or why Helga pushed Harold, but nobody would tell him.

"They were laughing. Why?" Helga turned to Arnold, getting defensive.

"Just wondering." He smiled at her, and turned back to finger painting.

"Oh, okay." Helga shrugged it off, continuing to finger paint with Arnold.

"Arnold!" Gerald ran up to the blondes, looking afraid of one, and afraid for the other. Gerald grabbed Arnold and pulled him away from Helga "Arnold, Helga isn't being nice. I think you should stay away from her!" Gerald had seen Helga be mean to their classmates, and didn't want him to get hurt.

"Well she is being nice to me." Arnold smiled, looking back at Helga who smiled and continued finger painting.

"Helga Likes You!" Gerald shouted loud enough for everyone to hear. Suddenly a crowd was gathering. All the kids' attention was on the 2 boys and Helga.

"She doesn't like me." Arnold defended

"Helga likes Awnold? HAHA!" All the kids began to laugh at Harold's statement.

"Guys, Stop it! She doesn't like me!"

"Yeah!" Helga jumped in- shoving Gerald and knocking him and Arnold down. She didn't want to do this… She REALLY didn't want to do this- but she didn't want to be laughed at either. "Why would I like a stupid football head like him!?" she yelled at her classmates, before throwing the paint in her hands all over Arnold. All the other kids gasped, and Arnold looked like he had just been slapped. Helga picked up Gerald by his shirt collar "Don't ever talk about me again Tall Hair Boy!" she snapped in his face, before shoving him by his shirt collar to the floor again, then stormed off.

Helga felt bad for being so mean to them, but she didn't want to be laughed at anymore. She suddenly thought going home sounded better. The teacher suddenly picked her up, along with a crying Arnold and set them both in the back room.

The teacher told Arnold to go wash up in the rest room, while she talked to Helga.

"Honey, why would you do such a mean thing to him?" their teacher asked

"They wouldn't stop laughing at me." Helga was looking down at her feet, and on the verge of tears.

"Who wouldn't stop laughing? Arnold and Gerald?" The teacher asked.

"No… Everyone else." Helga didn't like where this conversation was going.

"Why were they laughing sweetie?" the teacher looked at the little girl whose eyes were brimming with tears.

"Cause I like him," she pointed to the bathroom Arnold just entered "but it's a secret." Helga looked up from her feet, hoping her teacher understood. "Please don't tell him! Or Anyone!"

"Okay Honey, just calm down." The teacher tried to soothe the girl by rubbing her back. "Okay, so just to verify, you like Arnold?" she wanted to make sure they weren't talking about someone else.

Helga nodded her head quietly.

"Alright Honey, your secret is safe with me. Just please be nicer to him. Boys don't like girls who are mean to them, especially ones who's first impression are dumping paint on them."

"Okay" Helga nodded.

Arnold walked out of the bathroom and looked upset with Helga, and hid behind the teacher.

"Helga, is there something you wanna say to Arnold?" the teacher tried to nudge Helga to say something to him.

"You Promised You Wouldn't Say Anything!" Helga started yelling. She thought her teacher was trying to make her tell Arnold about her crush on him.

"No Honey. I mean don't you want to apologize to him for throwing paint on him?" the teacher defused the situation.

Helga was looking at the floor now "Oh... Yeah. Sorry about that Arnold." Helga looked up to meet Arnolds green eyes. Slowly he reached out and hugged her, and she returned the hug. "Its okay." He smiled, and she returned with a smile too. They walked outside the back room and back into the classroom.

"Okay kids. It looks like its time to go home. Your parents will be outside to pick you up, until then, you can play out on the playground just outside the sliding glass door." The teacher announced. The kids ran to their cubbies to grab their things, and then went outside to wait until their parents came.

30 minutes later after a lot of goodbye's Helga and Arnold sat outside chatting on the swings. Nobody was around besides their teacher, who they noticed had snapped another picture of the two blondes for their class photos.

"So… That thing Gerald said today?"

"What about it?"

"Is it true?"

"What part?"

Arnold looked down at his feet "do you like me?"

"Maybe" Helga looked down at her feet, and decided to get off the swings. Arnold followed her.

"Well, I like you when you're nice." Arnold grabbed her hand and smiled at her. Helga looked at their hands, and noticed he was holding hers. She was now blushing and couldn't help but look down.

Suddenly a car honk was heard, and Arnold noticed it was his grandparents. "I gotta go…" he kissed her cheek "I'll see you tomorrow Helga!" he ran off waving at her before getting in his car and leaving.

Helga was standing there holding the cheek he kissed and blushing. She quietly picked up her stuff and walked home.

She made it to her front door and opened it. Nobody was home. Great. She ran upstairs and ran into her closet, looking for a box. Olga had given this to her as a birthday present. She really didn't think she needed it, but now she knew she did. She found the Sparkly Pink Writing set Olga had given her for her 3rd birthday.

She observed it, and grabbed the sparkly pink pencil and the sparkly pink notebook. She wrote her name in it (She had been practicing Letters and writing all summer) and began writing about the boy with the sweet smile, football head and blue hat.


	2. High School Daze

**You wore me down with so many great reviews. Had to continue it. Sorry about not updating. Senior Year is crazy! _Anyways!_ I Decided The Pre-School Teacher has more to say on the matter. Read and Find Out!**

* * *

"Man, she really has it out for you. Are you sure you can handle this year?" Gerald looked to his best friend, who had a paintbrush slapped against the back of his head.

"I'm not sure, but I'm gonna try." Arnold reasoned while glaring at Helga, who was across the stage laughing.

"Mr. Shortman! How dare you waste paint! What is the reason of this shenanigans?!" a balding, fat man with a drama-queen attitude scolded the boys. "Mr. Johansson! I believe pouring paint on your friend here is cause enough for a referral!"

"Mr. Roberts, I swear I didn't do it! Helga did!" Gerald defended. He knew Mr. Roberts was looking for any kind of reason to get him out of Stage Craft, but really? Accusing him of putting paint on his best friend? That's messed up!

"Arnold, who dumped the paint on you?" Mr. Roberts questioned…

_Great… I get to be a snitch… just the kind of reputation I need… _Arnold thought solemnly.

"Well, Mr. Shortman, we're waiting…?"

"Uhh…" was all Arnold could manage.

"Mr. Roberts?" the intercom system boomed through the auditorium.

"Yes?" he replied

"I need Arnold Shortman, Gerald Johanssen, Phoebe Hyerdoll, and Helga Pataki in the deans office."

"Alright." He replied before the intercom cut out. "You kids got lucky. Leave. Now." He turned around and stormed back stage to make sure his play was going according to plan.

The 4 Teens grabbed their belongings and made their way up to the deans office.

"Really Helga?" Gerald decided to push her.

"What do you want, Hair boy?" Helga scowled at him.

"I want answers Pataki! Why do you always pick on my main man here?"

"First off, you sound Gay when you call him that, and secondly, because he makes it too easy to mess with him Geraldo! Criminey!"

"Helga, why can't you just be nice to me for 5 minutes?" Arnold questioned. It was their Freshman Year in High School. He thought she would've quit with the bullying by now.

Helga pretended to think before responding "I could be nice, but messing with you is much more fun." Helga laughed before putting her headphones in, pulling her pink hood over her head and turning on her music.

Helga had grown into her figure- not that anyone would notice. Helga was 5'7, meaning she was taller than most girls in her class. She was also skinny, but her clothes were poorly washed because Miriam was useless and Helga only got hand-me-downs from Olga. Nothing ever fit her right, but nobody besides Phoebe and Lila noticed. Helga hadn't bothered to wax her eyebrow, because it was really no point if she had nobody to impress besides Arnold. Helga was the bully of the class and even terrified Senior Boys with just one glare. When it came to Helga G. Pataki- you didn't want to mess with her.

Lila, once being Helga's enemy, was now a good friend to Helga. Lila knew about Helga's secret, and kept quiet about it. Lila was one of the prettiest and nicest girls at school. Arnold, was still in love with her and extremely dense. Lila, however, had no interest in Arnold; Lila was hoping Arnold would realize just how great Helga was and would someday feel the same way about Helga too. She had an on and off relationship with Stinky.

Phoebe was still petite as usual. Not much had changed about her. Gerald, though, had taken extreme notice of her curves and couldn't help but sneak a glance at her. Gerald, being the Captain of the Baseball and Football Team, had all the cheerleaders chasing him down- but his eyes were glued to Phoebe. Phoebe however, didn't notice, since girls were always gawking about how handsome Gerald had become, and Jealousy was her blindfold. Gerald had managed to make advances on Phoebe though, and was her date to every school dance. Helga and Arnold knew that Gerald and Phoebe were meant to be- it was only a matter of time.

Arnold had grown into that freakishly shaped football head of his, and since he was Co-Captain of the Baseball and Football Team, He got waves of girls at his feet. He was the nice guy; the kind any girl would kill to bring home to her dad. Every girl thought Lila was crazy for not liking him, but they were also happy they were given an opportunity. Arnold still didn't notice Helga. And Helga was pretty tired of it, but it was all she had and all she knew.

The four kids reached the Deans Office and stepped inside. The secretary pointed them to a back room where the principal was before returning to her work. The kids stepped inside.

had been promoted to the Principal of the high school for his excellence (Yeah, Right…) and now dictated their every move.

"I've been expecting you…" Mr. Wartz turned around in his chair to face the teens. None were thrilled about seeing him, and even less entertained that he tried to be dramatic, so they just stared at him- bored.

"Students, as you know- it's a part of high school to have community service hours, and since all of you decided upon the same scholarship, I've decided to sign you up for Volunteering Hours with Urban Tots Preschool, seeing as you all attended."

The teens were all in disbelief. "Babysitting? Me? You've Got To Be Kidding!" Helga shouted.

"No Ms. Pataki. I'm Afraid Not. Women are much better with Children, and you need the hours."

"Excuse me" Phoebe chimed in "Arnold and Gerald aren't females."

"Yes, But they have outstanding attendance, grades and no disciplinary issues. They are fine, trustworthy boys, and they also need the hours. The Pre-School needs men to help around and if they wont communicate with the kids, they can repair broken items at the pre-school."

"Alright." Arnold knew better than to argue. He knew how to take care of kids because Susie's nephew Oscar always came over and the adult Oscar always pushed the baby off to Arnold. Arnold also spent most of his life repairing the boarding house. He really had nothing to lose.

"Any further questions?" Mr. Wartz asked flatly.

"Yeah, since we have to, when in the heck do we watch the tots?"

"Ah! A fine question. Since Mr. Shortman and Mr. Johannsen have Practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and Games on Fridays- You'll Watch them Next week til the end of the school year on Monday's and Wednesdays. The Pre-School doesn't need help on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays either. "

"But I have things to do on Monday and Wednesday!" Helga stressed

"Really Ms. Pataki? They aren't School activities, so they aren't that important."

"I've been a ballet dancer since I was 3 years old, that's 12 Years of Ballet! I'm pretty sure that's more meaningful than a stupid football practice or babysitting!" Helga fumed, completely forgetting who was behind her.

Gerald and Arnold exchanged surprised glances. Helga? Ballet? Really? Did those even belong in the same sentence?

"Ms. Pataki, I suggest you calm down before I have you written up."

Helga stood back glaring at the man. Dance was truly all she had, so there was no way she'd give up practice for babysitting.

"Now, I'm sure we can come to an understanding here. Since you've been a ballet student so long, and ballet is a classical art that is dwindling in today's society, I will allow it. When is Ballet?"

"3 - 5pm on 7th Street. I'll give you Madame's number. She won't let me miss practice." Helga had her negotiation voice on and full throttle.

"Alright, Well there truly is no problem then. Mr. Roberts requested you 4 removed from his class a.s.a.p. and I will consider it OJT. That means you'll leave and go to Urban Tots for 7th period, and stay until 2:30."

"So no missing ballet?" Helga quirked an eyebrow at him.

"No Missing Ballet." He nodded "Leave Me Madame's number and go to class." He spoke right as the bell rang. Helga left him the Ballet Studio's number and they all left to Lunch.

* * *

Phoebe and Helga walked ahead of Arnold and Gerald.

"Helga G. Pataki…. A Ballet Dancer? I Just Don't Believe It."

"I Agree with you, only because she doesn't seem like the type of girl for Ballet. Maybe Hip-Hop dancing, but Ballet?" Arnold questioned. Helga didnt seem like a frilly girl.

"Man, we gotta find out! This is gonna bug me… I just cant believe it!" Gerald was bothered.

* * *

"I don't know Pheebs! I was just annoyed and guess I forgot he was there!" Helga shouted just above a whisper

"I think the boys find it quite intriguing as their faces shared the same shocked expression, and expressed it with each other. I also believe they are conversing over this new information as they walk behind us." Phoebe whispered to her best friend.

"Hey! Don't get any funny ideas Hair Boys!" Helga shouted at the 2 boys.

"What?" Arnold asked

"About me dancing doofus!" Helga was becoming annoyed.

"Sorry Helga. I'm just surprised. I had no idea you danced." Arnold defended grabbing their trays in the lunch line

"Yeah Helga. You can't blame us. You're the one who announced it in Principal Wartz's office."

"Yeah, well I was defending my schedule!" She said as they paid for their lunches

"We understand that." Arnold reasoned, which finally calmed her down. They sat down at their table and began eating. They only sat together because Arnold and Helga were determined to see Gerald and Phoebe together.

* * *

(Flashback)

Back in Middle School, Helga over-heard Gerald talking to Arnold about Phoebe. At first, she thought he was in conspiracy with a group of guys who had been picking on Phoebe lately, and was about to confront him until She heard him say how he was going to beat up the kid who was going to pull the next prank on her, and Arnold agreed because no one else was trying to stop it. She then heard Gerald talk about how he wishes he had the nerve to talk to Phoebe about how beautiful she is and ask her out on a date. The most he could ever do was ask her to school dances. Helga, since then, knew about Gerald's crush on her, and decided to kick it up a notch. She pulled Arnold aside a week later, in the Janitor's closet of course, and told him she knew about Gerald's crush on Phoebe, and that Phoebe liked him as well. She respected their privacy about not wanting to blow each other's secrets- so they decided to come up with a plan and sit them together at lunch and hang out more in hopes that eventually they can date. Arnold agreed completely, and since he also respected their Privacy about not telling their best friends secrets. One difficult part was Helga and Arnold's arguing. They came up with a truce that, when they were around each other, fighting would be at a minimum. Arnold reluctantly agreed, and Helga saw it as an opportunity to show him she could be nice. Only problem was how to get them to sit together. Fortunately, Helga and Arnold chose to be each others partners in a science project (Gerald and Phoebe were a little shocked and curious as to why, and never got an answer) but they sat together at lunch, the fighting was tolerable and had been that way ever since.

* * *

(Current Moment)

"So Helga, 12 years?" Gerald was surprised, to say the least, that she had been a dancer for so long, and had managed to keep it a secret.

"What's it to you, hair boy?" Helga glared at him

"How'd you manage to keep it a secret for so long?" Gerald was gonna milk this for what it was worth, and this- was priceless!

"I keep a lot of secrets Gerald-o." Helga bit into her burger.

"Like what?" Arnold was interested too. What did she have to hide? Helga was a mystery all her own. She always managed to surprise him.

"None of your beeswax! Criminey! I tell you im a ballet dancer and you flip your shit! Seriously? Its Not That Big Of A Deal!"

"Actually Helga, It is. You don't seem like the type of girl to dance to Ballet."

Helga grabbed Gerald by his shirt collar and glared down at him. "What's that supposed to mean Hair Boy?"

"It just means we didn't expect it from you Helga. It just amazed us."

"Yeah, well I'm a pretty amazing person football head." Helga dropped Gerald and walked away with Phoebe at her side.

"Man, that girl has got some SERIOUS issues!" Gerald shouted

"Its whatever. Think we should go see if she actually does dance? I saw the name of the studio and we know the address."

"You're a Bold Kid, Arnold" Gerald gave him an evil smirk.


End file.
